How Guys Can Decorate Their Dorm Rooms + 10 Creative Decor Ideas

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Now that you are getting ready to settle into a new home for the next few years, it is time to start thinking about how to decorate this new space. Say farewell to the days where your mother buys all of your room essentials. For guys, decorating means two things: practicality and simplicity.

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However, since you want to make a good impression on your peers you should try to make sure your room exemplifies your personality and shows that you are not the little boy who sleeps in Toy Story pajamas anymore. Need some ideas spicing up your dorm room this fall? Below are some tips to help.

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Bedding Using Masculine Colors and Patterns

Choosing strong colors like black, dark grey, navy, army green, and brown is a great way to solidify your manliness through décor. Forget the polka dots and pastel colors your mom wrapped your bed in at home. Rather, opt for a bold plaid pattern or a stylish stripes like the ones found in OCM’s twin XL bedding sets. Add some extra throw pillows on top for added flair and comfort. By making your bed the fashionable focal point in the room, you can keep the rest of the décor simple and useful. Just don’t forget to do is make sure you make your bed each morning!

Useful Organizers

For most men, cleaning is not something that is high on their priority list. Therefore, in order to make sure all of your belongings have a home, you should invest in handy room organizers. Tools like under the bed storage containers are great for storing extra clothing. Closet hanging organizers make sure that an avalanche doesn’t occur when the doors open. For desk area organizers, opt for paper trays, pencil holders, and a trash can so that loose papers are properly discarded and not thrown about.

These essentials can be just as much apart of your dorm decor than rugs and art are.

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Appliances and Other Essentials

Since you won’t have a kitchen or your own maid service in college, it is important to prepare yourself with all the essentials. Coordinate with your dorm roommate and bring big-ticket items like a microwave, coffee maker, vacuum, etc. These electronics will be the most used electronics in the room. Next, you should think about bringing a fan, a lamp or two, and an alarm clock. Having these essentials will not only give off the impression that you are an adult, but it will make your college experience much easier.

Wall art is a dorm decor option that really allows you to customize your space.

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Wall Art

When it comes to a dorm room, you want to make sure your personality shines so that your peers can get a good idea of who you are. The best way to show your interests is to hang wall art that speaks to you. Were you the class clown in high school? Hang up a funny poster so that your guests know that you have a great sense of humor.

It features a specially designed soft-close lid stay to keep the lid from slamming shut. image courtesy of OCM

Are you someone who is prone to anxiety and stress? Opt for posters or paintings of peaceful scenery or soothing objects that will come in handy during late-night study sessions. Are you an art lover? Hang up posters of art replicas from your favorite artists. Whichever fits your personality, explore OCM’s wall art to find the perfect piece for your dorm.

This cool dorm decor comes in a variety of different sizes and colors. Photo courtesy of housebeautiful.com.

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Standard Vinyl Dorm Trunk

Decor that doubles as a storage solution are the best, however, there are not that many storage options for guys that are not super basic. Place a cool trunk in your room to add some texture to the room filled with basic furniture and dingy walls. It can work at the end of your bed or pushed against a wall. The trunk not only looks cool, but can store a ton of things inside of it. To top it all off, it can also work as an extra seat for when you have guests over.

This piece of dorm decor will double as a fun activity for all of your friends.

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Dart Board Set

Like mentioned before, decor for guys is all about functionality. Dart boards are a great option because they come in a variety of different designs. Sure, you could get a cheap red and black foam one and it would do the trick, but you can also find boards to match any of your existing dorm decor. This decor idea is perfect for having friends over. In fact, just having a dart board will probably make your dorm the hangout spot for your friend group.

You can literally never go wrong with light in a dorm. Photo courtesy of sailorsams.com.

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Rope Lights

Although lights of any kind are awesome in dorm rooms, the typical fairy lights may be a little too feminine for some guys. Rope lights are a good way to create a cool atmosphere in a more masculine way. They come in a variety of different colors and are a little more structured than normal string lights.

This padded chair is super comfy, as you can guess.

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Oversized Chair or Bean Bag

The key to remember when decorating any dorm is that anything you out in your room can be considered dorm decor. To change things up swap out that dingy wooden desk chair for s colorful alternative. Or, to add some extra seating to your dorm, place an oversized chair or beanbag.

This dorm decor idea is much needed in any dorm room.

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DIY Cork BoardCorkboard

Since you need a place to display reminders and important dates, place a corkboard on your wall to add a decoration that will be ever changing. Place pictures of you and your friends, ticket stubs, test reminders, and anything else you want on this board. You can even swap out cork boardcorkboard squares for chalkboard or whiteboards and mismatch them.

This decor idea gives any guy a little extra layer of privacy. Photo courtesy of Balfour.com.

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Simple Room Divider

For a lot of guys, living with a roommate is something you're probably not used to. It can be adjustment never really being alone in your own space. It can also be hard when designing your room because you may get a roommate that is messy or has a different style than you. That is why a room divider is a perfect addition to your room. A room divider does not have to be a huge curtain going down the center of your room. It can be a simple divider that just separates your space from your roommates. It also adds a tiny bit of privacy.

Adding a rug to your dorm room can pull together your entire space.

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Patterned Area Rug

Every dorm room needs a rug, but it is important to pick the right one. In fact, this rug may be the one thing in your dorm you spend a little more money on. Rugs are so important in rooms where there are concrete floors. That rug is what is gonna keep your feet warm and supported. You will also want to make sure your rug flows well with the rest of the room. A patterned rug is always a great option because it provides some extra depth to the room.

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Neon Lights

When thinking about adding wall art to your dorm, it can be tough to think of unique ideas that still add a lot to a room without taking up too much space. Neon signs do just that!. You can find neon signs in local thrift stores or order new ones off the internet. Neon desk lamps are a much less expensive way to add neon to your dorm room.

Blast awesome tunes on this piece of dorm decor.

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Record Player & Display

When decorating a college dorm, everything you have needs to double as a decor piece. Because of the limited space, everything in sight contributes to the overall theme of the room. Since guys tend to like practical decor that they can actually use, a record player is the perfect option for any music lover. A cool record player can sit atop your dresser or desk. Display your favorite records with a small rack. You can even use records as a piece of wall decor by displaying them that way. This option is a real space saver. If you don’t listen to vinyl, trade this out for a Bluetooth speaker designed to look like a vintage radio.

Posters are a universal dorm decor item that can be used to accent any room.

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Vintage Posters

Posters are a really simple way to add some personality to your dorm room. They can easily reflect your interests. Head to a local store to pick out some cool vintage posters to accent the rest of your room. They can feature brands you like, old artists and bands, and classic slogans. The best part is that posters are easy to hang and take down. Get some sticky putty and place a bit on each corner. Stick to the wall and you have damage-free hanging. Posters come in all shapes and sizes and can cover an entire wall if you want them to.